Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 450 to 1978. Medieval church incorporating earlier elements and containing a pair of adjacent churches within its fabric. The North aisle and nave represents the conventual church and the South aisle and nave the parish church.

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (architectural fragment, Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)
• CHURCH (Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Modern - 844 AD to 2050 AD)
• NATIONAL SCHOOL (Post Medieval - 1850 AD? (at some time) to 1890 AD? (at some time))

Full description

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Description from record TQ 97 SE 25:
[TQ 9560 7298] St Mary & St Sexburga's Ch [NR] [TQ 9562 7299] St John's Chapel [NR] (Site of) [NAT] (1) The Church of Minster, restored 1880, consists of a wide nave and chancel with porch, and on its N side another chancel and nave. In the later days of the nunnery the N side was the conventual church and the S side parochial, both showing considerable C13th Early English work. It seems that the N side was the old church partly destroyed by the Danes, it showed many traces of fire when restored. In the middle wall there is a Saxon window, and in the N wall traces of two others, their heads turned in Roman tiles. Towards the beginning of the C15th a W tower, with Perpendicular doorway and battlemented cornice, was built at the end of the nuns portion. This is capped by a modern belfry. The S porch is also Perpendicular. There is a good late C14th chancel screen above which is a C13th painted beam placed there in 1881. (2) The length of the original church appears to have been 72 feet internal by 20 feet wide. (3) St John's Chapel (site of) applies to the site of the ancient chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist in the year 1489 situated on the E side of the church. (4) In the inventory of 1536, four chapels are mentioned - the church, Our Lady, St Katherine's and St John in the churchyard. There is no record of the passing of St John's. St Katherine's, which probably lay to the E of the nunnery was demolished in 1581. The present E end would then have been rebuilt with existing materials. (5) In the N nave and chancel, are remains of the pre-conquest (?late C7th) conventual church, and there is evidence of rebuilding and alterations for the later Augustinian and Benedictine establishments. Arcading on the outer wall-face of the E end of the N chancel is the sole remaining evidence of an external chapel. The confusion of its dedication (auth 1 & 4 St John, auth 5 St Katherine) was not resolved during fieldwork. The Roman building material (brick and box flue-tile) in the fabric of the pre-conquest portion of the church suggests an unrecorded Roman building in the vicinity. A modern vicarage stands on the site of the graveyard. The vicar Revd J.B. Allen knows of no finds being made on this land. (6) The Abbey Church of St Mary and St Sexburga. Grade A. A large building in flint and rubble. A nunnery was founded here (TQ 97 SE 1). It was burned by the Danes in 855 and rebuilt by Archbishop Corbeuil between 1123 and 1136. It was dissolved in 1539. There remain the conventual and parochial churches standing side by side, the N chancel and nave having been the conventual church and the S chancel and nave the parish church, in the Early English style, with a tower at the W end of the N nave and a S porch. The N half is the oldest portion of the building, with considerable Saxon remains, but the bulk of the building dates from the C13. The tower was added in the C15 but not completed and has a modern wood belfry. The E end of the N chancel dates from 1581, when St Katherine's Chapel beyond it was demolished. The S porch dates from 1879-81, when the whole church was restored from ruins by Christian. (For full description see list). (7) TQ 956 730 St Mary and St Sexburga, the abbey church at Minster. The parts of the early fabric which have survived are characteristic of the earliest Anglo-Saxon style of building and it is therefore possible that they are survivals of Sexburga's original church. The fabric is mainly of stone rubble with tile and flint. In the middle ages this church and the parish church stood side by side - the latter forming a very wide aisle to the earlier church. The present church consists of a large W tower, the early nave, a widened, but fore-shortened chancel and the parochial church on the S, through an arcade of pointed arches. The parochia Additional bibliograpy (7-18)

The following text is from the original listed building designation:
1. 5282 HIGH ~REET (North Side) Mins ter-on-Sea, Sheerness The Abbey Church of St Mary and St Sexburga TQ 97 SE 13/168 27.6.63. A GV
A large building in flint and rubble. A nunnery was founded here. It was burned by the Danes in 855 and rebuilt by Archbishop Corbeuil between 1123 and 1136. It was dissolved in 1539. There remain the conventual and parochial churches standing side by side, the north chancel and nave having been the conventual church and the south chancel and nave the parish church, in the early english style, with a tower at the west end of the north nave and a south porch. The north hal f is the oldest portion of the building, with consideral'l e Saxon remains, but the bulk of the buj.ldi11g dates from the C13. The tower was added in the C15 but not completed and has a modern wood belfry. The east end of the north chancel dates from 1581, when St Katherine's Chapel beyond it was demolished. The south porch dates from 1879-81, when the whole church was restored from ruins by Christian. Late C14 screen. C12 column sculpture of the Virgin and Child. Monuments of the C14 and C15.
Revision Number: 2
HIGH STREET 1. 5282 (North Side) lfinster-on-Sea, Sheerness The Abbey Church of St Mary and St Sexburga TQ 97 SE 13/168 27.6.63. GV 2. A large building in flint and rubble. A nunnery was founded here. It was burned by the Danes in 855 and rebuilt by Archbishop Corbeuil between 1123 and 1136. It was dissolved in 1539. There remain the conventual and parochial churches standing side by side, the north chancel and nave having been the conventual church and the south chancel and nave the parish church, in the early english style, with a tower at the west end of the north nave and a south porch. The north half is the oldest portion of the building, with considerable Saxon remains, but the bulk of the building dates from the C13. The tower was added in the C15 but not completed and has a modern wood belfry. The east end of the north chancel dates from 1581, when St Katherine's Chapel beyond it was demolished. The south porch dates from 1879-81, when the whole church was restored from ruins by Christian. Late C14 screen. C12 column sculpture of the Virgin and Child. Monuments of the C14 and C15. Listing NGR: TQ9555272937 (19)

From the National Heritage List for England:
Details
The monument includes the Benedictine nunnery of St Mary and St Sexburga situated at the west end of a ridge overlooking the Thames estuary to the north. The ground to the south drops away steeply. The upstanding remains include parts of the abbey church and the gatehouse which date to the 12th century. These are surrounded by the foundations and other buried remains of the rest of the 12th to 16th century monastic complex, all sited within the area of the precinct. In addition to these later medieval remains are the remains of the original Saxon nunnery which are known to survive within the later precinct boundary. The church, Listed Grade A (equivalent to Grade I), is double aisled and includes remains of both the monastic church and the congregational church of the nunnery. To the north are the buried foundations of the rest of the claustral complex while further north and east are the monastic burial grounds. On the south side of the church the High Street follows the line of the medieval terracing which stepped the south side of the hill on which the abbey was situated. The gatehouse to the west of the church, Listed Grade I and excluded from the scheduling, survives practically complete to a height of three storeys and dates to the 13th century. It is built of ragstone and flint and has a castellated parapet of chequerwork stone and flint. On the south side the gateway is divided into a pedestrian entrance on the east and a carriage entrance on the west. On the north side a single arch spans the whole opening. One metre to the north of the gatehouse is a stone-lined well believed to date from the 12th century. A second well is situated c.100m to the north east of the church. Its stone lining is also believed to date from the 12th century. The abbey was founded in 664 by Queen Sexburga, the widow of Ercombert, king of Kent. A large and probably wealthy foundation with 77 nuns, the nunnery had become ruined and deserted by the time of the Conquest. It is likely that it was destroyed by Danes in the ninth century. In 1130 the house was re-edified as a priory by Archbishop William de Corbevil who, as an Augustinian canon, possibly refounded it for that order. However, by 1186 it had returned to Benedictine rule. In 1396 Archbishop William de Courtney ordained that the nuns should be restored to the Augustinian order where it remained until its suppression in 1536. At the time of the nunnery's dissolution an inventory was taken and from this it is known that the nunnery included the church, a Lady Chapel, a dorter, 15 various chambers, a frater, a bathroom, two floors of kitchen, five chambers within the gatehouse, a porter's lodge, a cheese house, a bake house, a brew house, a bolting house, a milk house, a granary and a belfry. Evidence from excavations during 1991-1992 in the area to the north east of the church indicates occupation of the area between c.AD 650 and c.AD 850 with a break until c.1150. To the north of the church traces of foundations and burials were uncovered in the late 1980s. Other remains uncovered over the years during construction work in the area include the remains of a probable iron bloomery, a metalled surface, possibly of a courtyard, as well as a number of other burials. Excluded from the scheduling are the Grade A Listed church building, the Grade I Listed gatehouse, all modern buildings, garages, sheds, paving, tarmac drive and road surfaces, rubbish bins, street lights, modern walling, railings, toilet, signposts, gates, fences, and fence posts, although the ground beneath all these features is included.

Reasons for Designation
A nunnery was a settlement built to sustain a community of religious women. Its main buildings were constructed to provide facilities for worship, accommodation and subsistence. The main elements are the church and domestic buildings arranged around a cloister. This central enclosure may be accompanied by an outer court and gatehouse, the whole bounded by a precinct wall, earthworks or moat. Outside the enclosure, fishponds, mills, field systems, stock enclosures and barns may occur. The earliest English nunneries were founded in the seventh century AD but most of these had fallen out of use by the ninth century. A small number of these were later refounded. The tenth century witnessed the foundation of some new houses but the majority of medieval nunneries were established from the late 11th century onwards. Nunneries were established by most of the major religious orders of the time, including the Benedictines, Cistercians, Augustinians, Franciscans and Dominicans. It is known from documentary sources that at least 153 nunneries existed in England, of which the precise locations of only around 100 sites are known. Few sites have been examined in detail and as a rare and poorly understood medieval monument type all examples exhibiting survival of archaeological remains are worthy of protection.

Despite disturbance caused by development, the nunnery at Minster Abbey survives comparatively well. It is a rare example of a pre-Conquest nunnery with royal connections which was later refounded. Excavation has demonstrated the survival of archaeological remains and environmental evidence from both the original Saxon nunnery and the later 12th century complex. This, combined with documentary evidence, can give an insight into the construction, use, destruction, reconstruction and later use of the nunnery as well as an understanding of the way of life peculiar to the inhabitants of both early and later medieval nunneries. (20)

1862-75 map would indicate the presence of a National School within the boundary of the Abbey Church. However, subsequent maps do not show a school on the site. (21)

Historic England archive material (22)

<1> OS 25" (OS Card Reference). SKE48250.

<2> Kent Little Guide 1935 6th Edn (JC Cox), Page Nos. 223-4 (OS Card Reference). SKE45918.

<3> Royal Archaeological Institute, The archaeological journal vol 1 (1844)-, 41 1884 sketch (JP Harrison), Volume Nos. 1, Page Nos. 54-7 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6335.

<4> Rev W Bromston, Vicarage Minster. July 1906 (OS Card Reference). SKE49208.

<5> ONB Kent 13 SE Rev 1931 (OS Card Reference). SKE47878.

<6> The Abbey Church on Minster Sheppey 4 5 10 (Mary Hall) recent undated (OS Card Reference). SKE49922.

<7> F1 AC 12-NOV-59 (OS Card Reference). SKE41792.

<7> Field report for monument TQ 97 SE 25 - November, 1959, F1 AC 12-NOV-59 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5016.

<8> DOE(HHR) Boro of Swale Kent 30th June 1978, Page Nos. 12-13 (OS Card Reference). SKE40844.

<9> by H M Taylor and Joan Taylor, 1965, Anglo-Saxon architecture : volume 1, 1965, Page Nos. 429-430 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6406.

<10> The Buildings of England Most volumes held, North-East and East Kent 3rd Ed 1983 (J Newman and N Pevsner), Page Nos. 391-3 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6338.

<11> OS 1:2500 1971 (OS Card Reference). SKE48213.

<12> Kent Archaeological Society, Archaeologia Cantiana, being contributions to the history and archaeology of Kent vol 1 (1858)-, 1897 (J Cave-Brown), Volume Nos. 22, Page Nos. 144-168 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6334.

<13> OS Britain Before the Norman Conquest 1:625 000 1973 (south sheet) (OS Card Reference). SKE48403.

<14> by Warwick Rodwell, James Bentley, 1984, Our Christian heritage [Christianity and churches from RB times], 1984, Page Nos. 39 (Bibliographic reference). SKE6384.

<16> MINSTER ABBEY (ST MARY AND ST SEXBURGG'S) CHURCH FROM THE WEST (Photograph). SKE2573.

<17> MUSTER ABBEY CHURCH (ST MARY AND ST SEXBURGG'S) FROM THE SOUTH (Photograph). SKE2574.

<18> Struth, P & Richmond, H MAR-94 RCHME Field Investigation (OS Card Reference). SKE49690.

<19> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<20> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<21> Philp, B & Chenery, M, 1998, Prehistoric and Monastic Sites at Minster Abbey, Sheppey, Kent (Monograph). SKE12306.

<22> Historic England, Archive material associated with St Mary and St Sexburga's Church, Minster on Sea, Listed Building (Archive). SKE54393.

Sources and further reading

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